A Thank You List

So many are adapting and working hard during this pandemic. It is a trying time, but it is also an occasion to look for the good, focus on the positives, and be reminded that kindness costs nothing at all.

I have countless people and entities to thank for helping my household and me as we navigate the constraints of COVID-19. Therefore, my apologies for those I did not mention and extra kudos to those that made the list.

I am So Grateful

Thank you to the healthcare workers on the front lines. Their healing practices and duty-bound call to action is keeping us protected during the crazy pandemic times.

Thank you to those who see in black and white (or should I say red and blue?). The opposite points of view showcased on social media provide a soapbox of opinions. Everyone in this country has a right to speak their mind and everyone in this country has a right to agree or disagree. (We can also go to our online profiles and hit ignore or snooze forever when a person or group gets too nasty.) To each their own!

Thank you to those who understand and embrace the gray areas. The empathy and understanding of all sides is a value.

Thanks So Much

Thank you to streaming television for keeping my household engaged on the less sunny days. Amazon’s Upload has been a big hit for me. It takes an in-depth look at the digital age and goes just a little into the future to create some amazing fiction. It is not child-appropriate, but I have had fun describing it in a PG style version to my spouse and kids at the dinner table. The creator, Greg Daniels of The Office and Parks and Recreation fame, is a genius storyteller.

Thank you to the pets! I know my lovable dog has been great when it comes to encouraging walks, hikes, and playtime outside. I could do without the chasing of rabbits, but then again the bunnies need to stay out of our yard and garden.

Thank you to Benadryl, Zyrtec, and all of the other over-the-counter allergy medicines. Seriously, why can’t COVID-19 destroy sinus plaguing pollen? On the flip-side, even during pandemic times it kind of feels good to still have routine issues like seasonal allergies.

Tons of Gratitude

Thank you to my May birthday babies. My oldest and youngest came to me in May and not even a world disaster can make me dislike the fifth month of the year. My oldest had a great day to celebrate becoming a young lady that included: driveway lattes, donuts, black bottom pie (a yummy custard dessert), bike rides, and her choice for a family movie. My youngest will be even easier to please. He just wants balloons, donuts, and for everyone to indulge his every whim (which we already do because let’s face it, he is the baby of the family).

Thank you, Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan. The comedic talents of this couple make my side hurt from uncontrollable giggles. I listened to Jim’s books (Dad is Fat and Food: A Love Story) awhile back and now my oldest three get to enjoy his sarcasm and hilarious anecdotes. Jim often references his wife Jeannie in his stand-up, so I downloaded her book on audible and it was exactly what I needed. Her book, When Life Gives You Pears, was a memoir about her recovery from a brain tumor. It is a heartfelt read with doses of comedy. Dinner with the Gaffigan’s is also on YouTube and CBS Sunday Morning. Seeing these two witty entertainers deal with social distancing while living in an apartment in New York with their five children is marvelous fun.

Appreciations Galore

Thank you for food carry-out and delivery service. I am in awe of the restaurant industry in my community that has adapted and continued to work and provide for customers. Hard work and delicious sustenance do not go unnoticed, keep up the fantastic work!

Thank you to the crafty sewers. Mask making is not my forte, nor is sewing a hem or constructing a pattern. However, I have a lot of gratitude for those filling their extra moments with acts of kindness. Making masks for professionals on the front lines and for those just wanting to be careful as they leave their home is a remarkable thing. 

Seriously, Thanks!

Thank you to the educators. The school term may not have ridden into the sunset in a typical manner, but the efforts of the teachers that stuck with it to the end are appreciated. Thanks for the Zoom meetings, emails, phone calls, parades, social media posts, attention to detail, and handwritten notes. Thank you for worrying and carrying about not only the students, but the struggling parents and guardians. We could never fill your shoes, but thanks for lending us your slippers of knowledge and expertise.

Thank you to the local news. I appreciate the airings of press conferences and I am extremely proud of the weekly paper that continues to circulate in my area. Support the neighborhood paper and the local news outlets. They live here and they are trying to keep us all informed. Coverage of the pandemic and stories that give us a break from COVID-19 are important and valued.

Thanks, Thanks, and More Thanks

Thank you technology. It keeps us connected while miles keep us apart. Texting, calling, and snap chatting are not the same as in-person conversations, but they will definitely do until we can all be together again.

Thank you Family Footnote and readers. I appreciate being able to vent and ramble and put into words what this pandemic is for me and my family. Stay strong and when in doubt, just be nice!